Time to get smarter
Posted on the 11.07.2011 by Michel Brent
The Europe's premier event that creates an energy ethic to accelerate the adoption of legislation designed to curb climate change was held in Monaco last May. Alain Hubert was one of the speakers.
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10 May, Monte Carlo, Monaco. Johnson Controls, the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, and The Climate Group today opened the 2011 Euro-Mediterranean Energy Efficiency Forum (EEF) with the promise to highlight smarter ways to promote energy efficiency to help meet international climate and energy objectives. The event was themed "Energy Efficiency - Time to Get Smarter". During two days, it has explored integrated ways to promote efficiency in manufacturing, buildings and cities in Europe and the Mediterranean Basin.
"By improving individual energy performance, said in his keynote speech of Wednesday 11 May His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco, each of us is acting for the planet, whilst continuing to maintain our comforts and safeguarding our finances. We should not forget that this creates economic momentum, which for once, does not recklessly consume our natural resources, but preserves them."
Thie discussion has focused mainly on the need to take an approach that encompasses policy, funding, technology, business value and communication to achieve European Climate and Energy objectives, which include a 20 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and a 20 percent increase in energy savings by 2020.
Experts from government, non-government organizations, foundations, as well as public- and private-sector companies have discussed integrated approaches to improve efficiency in sectors that account for the vast majority of CO2 emissions and energy use. In Europe, buildings are responsible for 40 percent of energy consumption and 36 percent of CO2 emissions and represent the most cost-effective way for countries to meet international targets. The manufacturing and industrial sector produces 28 percent of CO2 emissions and accounts for 21 percent of energy usage.
And of course Alain Hubert has brought an important contribution to these discussions, speaking about the Zero Emission Princess Elisabeth Station in Antarctica. Let's remember that in 2002, A. Hubert founded the International Polar Foundation (IPF) with the purpose of raising awareness about the importance of polar science and climate change. Since then, the IPF promotes innovative and multifaceted responses to the complex challenges raised by the need for action on sustainable development : IPF will set up soon the Polaris Climate Change Observatory in several locations around the world.
Alain Hubert at the Monaco meeting
© IPF
